Great day for the boos / Saints find a silver lining as Raiders make just enough mistakes to fall to 2-5

Nancy Gay, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published 4:00 am, Monday, October 25, 2004

This time, an angry Raider Nation really made itself heard.

Dissatisfied with a three-game losing streak and the recent agitating remarks of outspoken players, the 45,337 who found plenty of elbow room Sunday at the Coliseum let the boos sound. They screamed at left tackle Barry Sims, who made the unfortunate mistake a week earlier of questioning the motives of the hostile home fan base.

They promised, in a succinct yet profane way, to assist frustrated wide receiver Jerry Porter in finding his way out of Oakland in 2005. They demanded the 2004 debut of backup quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo and called for the head of interception-prone starter Kerry Collins.

Then came the kickoff. And things turned really ugly.

The visiting New Orleans Saints, with embattled coach Jim Haslett fighting for his job following his own three-game losing streak, finally managed a first down late in the second quarter, then reeled off 21 consecutive points and held on for a 31-26 victory over the staggering Raiders.

"I can't believe this keeps happening," said defensive end Bobby Hamilton, who was almost speechless after watching the Raiders meekly surrender a 9-0 lead and wait far too long to claw back.

Raider running back 28- Amos Zereoue has his helmet removed by Saints 91-Will smith on a first quarter run.NFL Football. The Oakland Raiders vs. The New Orleans Saints. Network Associates Coliseum.
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Photo: Michael Macor

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Raider 73- Frank Middleton injured in the first quarter is taken off the field in a cart. NFL Football. The Oakland Raiders vs. The New Orleans Saints. Network Associates Coliseum.
10/24/04 Oakland, CA Michael Macor / San Francisco Chronicle less

Raider 73- Frank Middleton injured in the first quarter is taken off the field in a cart. NFL Football. The Oakland Raiders vs. The New Orleans Saints. Network Associates Coliseum.
10/24/04 Oakland, CA Michael ... more

Photo: Michael Macor

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This reception by Jerome Pathon set up the Saints touchdown on the next play. Ray Buchanon reaches for him. Oakland Raiders vs New Orleans Saints at Network Associates Coliseum.
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This reception by Jerome Pathon set up the Saints touchdown on the next play. Ray Buchanon reaches for him. Oakland Raiders vs New Orleans Saints at Network Associates Coliseum.
Deanne Fitzmaurice / The ... more

Photo: Deanne Fitzmaurice

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RAIDERS_491_fl.jpg Raiders had their moments on defense as they sacked Saints QB Aaron Brooks in the 2nd quarter. Oakland Raiders lose to The New Orleans Saints at the Network Associates Coliseum 31-26 in Oakland CA. l10/24/04 Oakland CA Frederic Larson The San Francisco Chronicle less

RAIDERS_491_fl.jpg Raiders had their moments on defense as they sacked Saints QB Aaron Brooks in the 2nd quarter. Oakland Raiders lose to The New Orleans Saints at the Network Associates Coliseum 31-26 in ... more

RAIDERS_994_fl.jpg Saints WR (87) Joe Horn pulls down a pass against Raiders Phillp Bachanon (31) in the 3rd quarter. Oakland Raiders lose to The New Orleans Saints at the Network Associates Coliseum 31-26 in Oakland CA. l10/24/04 Oakland CA Frederic Larson The San Francisco Chronicle less

RAIDERS_994_fl.jpg Saints WR (87) Joe Horn pulls down a pass against Raiders Phillp Bachanon (31) in the 3rd quarter. Oakland Raiders lose to The New Orleans Saints at the Network Associates Coliseum 31-26 in ... more

Photo: Frederic Larson

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4th quarter kick off return was fumbled by Raiders 10- Carlos Francis, ball picked up and returned for a TD by the Saints. NFL Football. The Oakland Raiders vs. The New Orleans Saints. Network Associates Coliseum.
10/24/04 Oakland, CA Michael Macor / San Francisco Chronicle less

4th quarter kick off return was fumbled by Raiders 10- Carlos Francis, ball picked up and returned for a TD by the Saints. NFL Football. The Oakland Raiders vs. The New Orleans Saints. Network Associates ... more

Photo: Michael Macor

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RAIDERS_1133_fl.jpg On a rick return in the later in the 4th quarter the Raiders (10) Carlos Francis fumbles to Saints Colby Bockkwoldt (57) who ran for a TD. Saints Courtney Watson (55) helps with the celebration. The Oakland Raiders lose to The New Orleans Saints at the Network Associates Coliseum 31-26 in Oakland CA. l10/24/04 Oakland CA Frederic Larson The San Francisco Chronicle less

RAIDERS_1133_fl.jpg On a rick return in the later in the 4th quarter the Raiders (10) Carlos Francis fumbles to Saints Colby Bockkwoldt (57) who ran for a TD. Saints Courtney Watson (55) helps with the ... more

Photo: Frederic Larson

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Great day for the boos / Saints find a silver lining as Raiders make just enough mistakes to fall to 2-5

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"We just can't seem to finish," linebacker Danny Clark said. "And finishing is our main objective. We can definitely compete with anybody in this league. Coming out with a victory is a whole other thing and we've got to get that fixed internally."

The Raiders may have to do that without four key players -- rookie receiver Carlos Francis, who sustained what appears to be a serious left knee injury as he fumbled a kickoff return with 4:20 remaining, a turnover the Saints returned 6 yards for a 31-19 lead.

Guard Frank Middleton, the team's best run blocker, left the field in the first quarter on a stretcher in agony with what coach Norv Turner described as a left quad injury. Franchise cornerback Charles Woodson left in the third with a hip pointer, and run-stuffing nose tackle Ted Washington left early in the fourth quarter with a rib injury.

For a change, the usual suspects did not factor into the Raiders' fourth consecutive loss. The Raiders, now 2-5 and in last place in the AFC West, kept the penalties to a minimum (six for 46 yards) and held straight-ahead runner Deuce McAllister to only 42 yards total -- a far cry from the 562 rushing yards the Raiders' front seven had surrendered the previous three games.

What's more, Collins -- reacting to the outrage of the fans -- had his most prolific game as a Raider, completing 26-of-45 passes for 350 yards, including a 34-yard scoring pass to tight end Doug Jolley to start the fourth quarter and a 13-yard touchdown strike to Porter with 2:34 remaining.

"I guess it's the competitor in me. I get fired up," said Collins, who gestured toward the hell-raising Black Hole folks late in the third quarter and extolled them to pump up the insults as he began a five-play drive that culminated in his finding Jolley wide open in the end zone. "When people get down on you and are calling for you to get pulled, it gets my juices flowing."

When Collins began systematically hitting receivers in the final five minutes before finding Porter in the end zone -- a 6-play, 66-yard drive that took only 1:46 -- you had to wonder why it took so long to achieve such urgency.

The juices apparently were running a little dry in the first half, when three promising drives failed to produce touchdowns. Instead, the Raiders settled for Sebastian Janikowski field goals of 28, 42 and 44 yards to build a 9-0 lead with 6:53 remaining before the break.

"You hate to settle for field goals like that, but you'd rather get any points than nothing at all," said Sims, who heard plenty of catcalls after suggesting last week that Raiders fans were less than supportive at home. His exact quote: "Our fans suck."

But this is a flawed Raiders team that hasn't put together a complete effort in a month. So there's always a culprit.

Or, in this case, a reason. When Woodson sustained the hip pointer with 11:57 left in the third quarter -- he returned briefly but finally retreated to the locker room in pain -- the Raiders' defense found itself in a mad scramble to cover without him.

The result: Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks, who had been held in check for much of the first half before a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Lamont Hall made the halftime score 9-7, finally got hot.

On 3rd-and-10, Brooks spied wide receiver Michael Lewis sprinting past Schweigert and connected with him on a 30-yard completion. Another 17-yard completion to hot-read Joe Horn, who finished with nine catches for 123 yards, set up a 3-yard McAllister touchdown run with 8:31 left in the third and a 14- 9 Saints lead.

Another 1-yard McAllister scoring run, this time past tackle Warren Sapp with zero linebacker support, pushed the Saints ahead 21-9 late in the third.

"They didn't do much in the run, but they definitely came up with some big plays," said Clark, who had eight tackles. "There were a couple of tipped balls and they caught 'em -- there were some things that just went their way. "

A fired-up Collins seemed poised to generate that kind of momentum for the flailing Raiders, even after making a poor throw off his back foot that was intercepted by Saints free safety Tebucky Jones midway through the third.

Collins followed the touchdown pass to Jolley with a 26-yard bomb to Porter, only to force a pass to a well-covered Doug Gabriel on 3rd-and-2 at the Saints' 22-yard line. The Raiders again settled again for three points, thanks to a 40-yard Janikowski field goal that made it 21-19 New Orleans.